The water gets clearer the farther away from the inlets, but Surf City and Wrightsville appear to be the clearest. When you think of blue water in the United States, what do you think of? The first thing I think about is going directly to the Florida Gulf Coast or perhaps to the Florida Keys. Behind that, the water of Big Sur, California. Other than that, I personally wouldn't describe any water from the United States as blue. Well, I'm sure Hawaii would fit that description, but I've never personally experienced it.
The most beautiful water I've ever seen? Without a doubt, the Turks and Caicos Islands. The blue-green color of the water is unlike anything I have experienced in the world. It makes even the beautiful waters of the Bahamas seem unsatisfactory. I grew up going to beaches in South Carolina and have also done some visits to beaches in North Carolina.
And one word I would never use to describe water in either state is blue. That's why I was so surprised when our friends at SIXT contacted a study that said a North Carolina beach had some of the bluest waters in the United States. Sediments play an important role in the color of water. Smaller, finer sand particles can make water more cloudy, as they are easily agitated.
In crystal clear waters, sediments may be thicker and harder to remove, as they are heavier and are made of chunks of shells and pieces of dead coral. North Carolina State University professor Chris Osburn says that a lack of river runoff and several other factors have helped water regain its natural color recently. It is essential to spend consecutive days alternating between sunbathing on the soft sand and taking a dip in the sea when it's too hot. But once you master the art of “going to the beach” on the Emerald Isle, you might want to graduate to explore the ocean from new angles.
See the water from above with a surf lesson at Hot Wax Surf Shop or by testing your balance on a stand-up paddle board. When you're ready to dive deeper, you can enjoy the Emerald Isle from the water by snorkeling or scuba diving. The crystal clear conditions and the light-colored water make it easy to observe all kinds of fish and marine life, as well as wrecks from long ago in an area known as The Atlantic Cemetery. There are several factors that contribute to that appearance.
First, the rivers that flow along our coast carry runoff from the mountains and Piedmont filled with red clay silt. That sediment, along with the phytoplankton, churns and floats close to the surface of the water. While Emerald Island sand doesn't have the same sugary whitish distinction as Florida's quartz sand beaches, its stretches of coastline tend to take on a light khaki and even whitish color, which is a far cry from the mineral-rich Graham cracker colored sand found on other North Carolina beaches. To compile this list, they looked at US News & World Report data on the best beaches in North Carolina and then used Google search data to determine which of these beaches are most interesting to North Carolinians.
Visitors rave about Carolina Beach's waterfront, which has that nostalgia-filled old-time beach feel. Topsail Beach is a quiet coastal town ideal for families, with restaurants, a lively live music scene, shopping and wide beaches. I still don't understand how anyone could classify a North Carolina beach as having the bluest waters, especially ahead of Clearwater and Hawaii. While Florida's beaches are praised for looking like the Caribbean and having otherworldly blue waters, beaches in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia have to work a little harder to win over their followers.
However, there is one beach in North Carolina that has sand and waves that rival even the dreamiest beaches on the Gulf Coast, and It's the Emerald Isle.
